In this beautiful, lyrical sequel to the critically acclaimed We Were the Salt of the Sea, Detective Moralès finds that a seemingly straightforward search for a missing fisherwoman off Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula is anything but.
When an abandoned lobster trawler is found adrift off the coast of Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, DS Joaquin Moralès begins a straightforward search for the boat’s missing captain, Angel Roberts – a woman in a male-dominated world. But Moralès finds himself blocked at every turn – by his police colleagues, by fisheries bureaucrats, and by his grown-up son, who has turned up at his door with a host of his own personal problems.
When Angel’s body is finally discovered, it’s clear something very sinister is afoot, and Moralès and son are pulled into murky, dangerous waters, where old resentments run deep…
An exquisitely written, evocative and poetic thriller, The Coral Bride powerfully conjures the might of the sea and the communities who depend on it, the never-ending struggle between the generations, and an extraordinary mystery at the heart of both.
Over ten years ago, Roxanne Bouchard decided it was time she found her sea legs. So she learned to sail, first on the St Lawrence River, before taking to the open waters off the Gaspé Peninsula.
The local fishermen soon invited her aboard to reel in their lobster nets, and Roxanne saw for herself that the sunrise over Bonaventure never lies.
Her fifth novel (first translated into English) We Were the Salt of the Sea was published in 2018 to resounding critical acclaim, sure to be followed by its sequel, The Coral Bride.
She lives in Quebec.
My thoughts:
This book was really interesting, not just a murder mystery but a study of a small community and a family feud going back several generations that’s built on misunderstandings and fishing rights.
When Angel Roberts’ boat is found floating in the sea minus its captain, a search is launched and Detective Morales is detailed to investigate.
What he uncovers is a complicated family history and a community that’s been struggling for years to get along.
His son joins him, fleeing his own relationship and career problems, but unable to open up and talk to his father honestly. Their time in Gaspè will allow them space to come to terms with the changes in both their lives.
Lyrical and moving, the ocean plays its own role as the reason this town of fishermen and their families are there, providing both livelihood and death over the generations.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 
Huge thanks for the blog tour support x
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